Heavy Interdiction Cruisers

Heavy Interdiction Cruisers ('HICs' or 'hictors') are Tech 2 cruisers capable of providing the heaviest tackle possible. With the exception of some T3 cruiser setups, they have better tanks than any other cruiser, and can match that of most battleships. Their DPS is extremely low, but this is generally unnecessary to perform their role.

Capabilities

In null security space, heavy interdiction cruisers can create a 12-20 km radius warp disruption field similar to the bubble created by light interdictors. While the light interdictor can launch its bubble, leave its bubble there for 2 minutes, and get off grid, the heavy interdiction cruiser's tackle capability comes from a Warp Disruption Field Generator, a high-slot module with a cycle time of 30 seconds that generates a warp disruption bubble centered on the HIC itself. Furthermore, while the bubble is active, the HIC can still move at its normal speed, but it cannot receive any type of remote support, and has reduced propulsion module effectiveness and an increased signature radius. To compensate, it becomes relatively agile as its mass gets heavily reduced, meaning it can get up to speed and change direction extremely fast.

The bubble module can be loaded with a script which increases the range of the point by 50% and focuses its effect so that it acts as a normal warp disruptor with infinite strength instead of creating bubbles. Scripting the module to create this "infinipoint" also removes the speed modifications caused by using it, except for the block on remote support. These are the only ships that can, using this infinite point, tackle super-capital ships in low sec. They are also sometimes used in high- and low-sec gatecamps to negate the effect of Warp Core Stabilizers.

They are best used in pairs with logistics ships as backup, so that they can switch between bubbling and being remotely repaired. If the enemy starts shooting the bubbling HIC, it can drop its bubble and be repped back up again while the second HIC covers and puts up its bubble instead.

The bubble can not be used in lowsec or highsec. If you see a HIC in empire that seems to have its bubble up, it is a graphical bug caused by loading the grid after the point was activated. (This bug has reportedly been fixed, but pilots may still see it in some old videos).

List of Heavy Interdiction Cruisers

Devoter: Armor tank, and a better one than the Phobos, but 1 less midslot, which is significant in Empire where HICs usually fit sensor boosters to help them catch fast targets.

Onyx: Shield tank. Lower tank and speed than the Broadsword, but a lot more CPU, letting it fit a probe launcher. Additionally, in empire where HICs usually fit sensor boosters, it has a very hard time properly plugging its EM resist hole.

Phobos: Armor tank. The Devoter tanks better, but the Phobos has an extra midslot, making it better at catching fast targets in Empire with an extra sensor booster.

Broadsword: Shield tank. Better speed and resists than the Onyx, at the price of CPU for utility mods.